Innholdsfortegnelse for 23/08/2022 i Amateur Photographer

The Best of Times: The Worst of Times by Tony Othen £28, Bluecoat Press, hardcover, 132 pages, ISBN: 9781908457745 Photographer Tony Othen was commissioned by various charities and social action organisations from the 1960s onwards. The images were used in reports and press releases for the likes of MIND and Task Force. They were filed away and Tony carried on with his working life. It was only on retirement that he felt compelled to revisit them. Posting the images on Facebook, he was amazed by the response. People from the communities recognised themselves or others, and started adding recollections of life at the time. This book, funded via a Kickstarter, gathers a selection of the images, alongside some of the comments. The book is a great example of the longevity…

When was the club founded? The club was founded in the early 1950s as the Norton Photographic Society, which later became Stockton Camera Club. What does your club offer to new members? New members are always welcome at the club and are allowed to attend three meetings before committing to membership. We have a varied programme of events consisting of lectures/talks, competitions and practical sessions; we also arrange one-to-one mentoring sessions for members as and when required. Describe a typical club meeting Members arrive at the venue around 7pm and help set out the room and equipment for the evening before having an informal chat.The meeting starts at 7:30pm and finishes at 9:30pm, with a mid-meeting break for coffee and socialising. We have guest speakers, practical nights, and competition nights,…

‘This is a striptease show, a burlesque show, this show has been set aside for the men and men only, no ladies and no babies. You must be 18 years or over to see this show because if you’re under 18 you wouldn’t understand it. Lord knows you waited so long your eyes couldn’t stand it. Fellas, when the girls leave the stage they’re only going to be wearing two things, a pair of shoes on their feet and a big smile on their face,’ is the well-practised patter by one girl show host, on a recording by photographer Susan Meiselas. After a chance encounter with a stripper in a carnival bathroom, Meiselas wanted to discover more about those who took part in girl shows. A young woman herself, in…

At the time of writing, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 12 journalists and media workers have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian-led invasion on 24 February. For many, the war is only a cheap flight or drive away. Experienced photographers are following a trodden path and novice photographers have the opportunity to wet their boots. With little opportunity to embed with the military and unpredictable nature of the conflict, what are the daily challenges, how are photographers being treated, are they being targeted and is their photography being used for propaganda? Jay Davies (JD) is director of photography at Getty Images overseeing news coverage in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Getty Images is primarily a news agency that gathers pictures and sells them to subscribing news…

Testbench CLASSIC FILM CAMERAS Mamiya made a multitude of cameras. They included subminiatures, 35mm rangefinder models, 35mm single lens reflexes, an interchangeable film magazine camera, a 35mm half-frame camera, twin lens reflexes, folding roll-film cameras, a press camera, even 8mm cine cameras. But it was when Mamiya turned its attention to roll-film reflexes that the firm really excelled. There were three types, all big and heavy. The RB67 and RZ67, each weighing nearly 3 kilos, shot 6x7cm pictures (actual size: 56x68mm), often considered the ideal format because of the way it scaled up to standard 10x8in printing paper. Meanwhile, the M645 series was smaller but still weighed in at about 1.5kg, and shot 6x4.5cm pictures (actual size: 56x41.5mm). Within each type, there was a selection of models. Here are three…

LENS TEST Testbench The Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN is part of Sigma’s more-affordable ‘Contemporary’ line-up. Designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras, it provides a useful focal length range, going from ultra-wideangle to wideangle, whilst at the same time providing a bright, constant f/2.8 aperture. Used in APS-C mode or on an APS-C Sony camera, you get the equivalent of a 24-42mm zoom. Features This lens is notable in how relatively compact and lightweight it is, at 450g in weight and 100.6mm in length. It’s also priced at £750, which makes it incredible value for money. In comparison, Sony’s FE 16-35mm F2.8 G Master is priced at £2,299, weighs 680g, and is 121.6mm in length. Another alternative, the Sony FE PZ 16-35mm F4 G, costs £1,299. The lens is also cheaper…

LENS TEST Testbench Venus Optics might just be the most creative lens maker at the moment, and its latest design again illustrates why. It’s a unique ultra-wideangle prime for APS-C mirrorless cameras that’s just an inch long and weighs a mere 120g. Available in Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Sony E, and L mounts, and in a choice of black or silver finishes, it costs a very palatable £339. The firm describes it as ‘the world’s widest rectilinear pancake lens’, but this almost does it a disservice. It’s actually one of the widest-angle APS-C lenses around regardless of size, surpassed only by the larger, more expensive Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D. It offers a huge 109° angle of view, equivalent to a 15mm lens on full frame, which should…

DSLR Lenses Interchangeable lenses come in a huge array of types for shooting different kinds of subjects IN GENERAL, the easiest way to expand the kinds of pictures you can take is by buying different types of lenses. For example, telephoto lenses let you zoom in on distant subjects, while macro lenses enable close-ups of small objects. Large-aperture lenses allow you to isolate subjects against blurred backgrounds, or shoot in low light without having to raise the ISO too high. Meanwhile, all-in-one superzooms cover a wide range of subjects, but usually with rather lower optical quality. Lens mounts Each manufacturer has its own lens mount and most aren’t compatible with one another. For example, a Canon DSLR can’t use Nikon lenses, although you can use independent brands if you get…